It is Monday! Thanks be to God for another beautiful week. The weather has warmed up around here and I am really looking forward to more outdoor park days with my kiddos.
My sister asked me to write a recipe with polenta. She has been wanting to make it and I have had the urge to braise some short ribs lately. I figured I would put them together and see how it goes. I am happy to report that it was a hit! My kids were licking their fingers and I went back for seconds. I hope you love this recipe!
Braised Short Ribs with Creamy Polenta
You will need:
For the short ribs:
- 4 boneless short ribs, cut into thirds (or 6-8 bone in short ribs)
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 6 cloves of garlic, cut in half lengthwise
- 1 c red wine (I use Cabernet Sauvignon)
- 2 c beef broth
- 2 Tbsp concentrated tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 2 Tbsp canola oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 2 bay leaves
For the polenta:
- 1 c polenta
- 4 c chicken broth (you can use water here, but the broth adds better flavor)
- 1 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 Tbsp butter
Preheat your oven to 300*F.
Put a shallow braising dish over med-high heat and let it get hot. Off to the side, season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Dust each piece with flour. Pour the canola oil into the braising pan and sear the short ribs on all sides until dark brown. This crust will add excellent flavor!
Once all of the short ribs have browned, turn the heat down to medium and move the short ribs to a bowl. Set to the side.
Saute the onions in the leftover oil and fat from the short ribs until they are lightly browned (about 2-3 minutes). Add in the tomato paste and stir around until it is bubbly. Add in the garlic cloves. Stir everything together and let it cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Bring the heat back up to med high until everything is really starting to sizzle. Pour in the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. These brown bits are called fond. They will flavor the braising liquid beautifully!
Once you have released all of the fond, turn the heat back to high and reduce the wine until it is thick enough to coat the back of your spoon. It will look like a gravy. Once it has thickened, add in the beef broth, dried seasonings, and bay leaves. Give it a big stir and bring to a boil.
Nestle the short ribs into the simmering braising liquid, cover, and put in the oven for 1.5 hours.
When your timer says you have 40 minutes left, go ahead and start prepping the polenta.
Bring the chicken broth up to a boil. Add in 1 cup of polenta and stir. Lower the heat and stir until it thickens but is still pretty loose. Cover, turn the heat to low, and allow to cook for 30 minutes. Stir it every 5-6 minutes.
Once the time is up, add in the butter and Parmesan cheese. Stir until combined.
Spoon the polenta onto a plate, pile on the short ribs, and drizzle with the braising liquid. Enjoy each savory and creamy bite! I know we did.
I hope you love this recipe. It is incredibly satisfying, and one that will please the whole family.
Lots of love and many blessings,
Chelsea
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
“Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.”
Luke 6: 36-38
The Catholic Kitchen 